Township To Create Farm Zones U. Hanover Seeks To Protect Agriculture

The township is poised to create "agricultural security areas" that would enable some of its farmers to take part in Montgomery County's farmland preservation program.

Only four townships in the county have such areas -- Franconia, Limerick, Douglass and Upper Frederick.

Upper Hanover's supervisors have found five farmers so far who want to be in security areas, which give them special protection, said Curtis Gronert, a supervisor and the township manager.

They have completed much of the preliminary work to set up the areas. What remains are a public hearing on the proposal, a township planning commission review and a formal vote by the supervisors.

Gronert said the hearing might be held July 9.

Under the county's farmland preservation program, farmers in a security district may be paid to keep their land in farming instead of selling it to developers.

If the land is chosen for protection and the farmer agrees, the land's use would be limited to farming and open space only. Specific agreements would vary, but the county could pay the farmer the difference between the farm's value as land for farming and its value as land that can be developed.

The program's funds come from the state and county, and are limited. The county's farmland preservation board must be selective in choosing farms for the program.

The farms are evaluated for the program using several criteria, including their productivity and the quality of their soil.

But to be eligible for the program at all, a farm must be designated as an agricultural security area, said Mary Ann Carpenter, the county planner in charge of the program.

Putting a farm in a security area also protects the farmer from nuisance ordinances related to such things as farm odors and from condemnation of land for public use.

They also keep the municipality from imposing unreasonable restrictions on farm structures and practices.

The security areas proposed in Upper Hanover Township would include the five farms and no other land, Carpenter said. But other farmers can ask that their land be turned into security areas as well.

Gronert said the program is voluntary.

The five farms, which total 566.48 acres, are not adjacent to each other, he reported.

The county's preservation board has been accepting applications in stages. The next deadline for getting applications in is Sept. 1.

The Upper Hanover farmers have a chance of making that deadline if the supervisors act this summer.

If they do not make the September deadline, the following deadline is April 1992, Carpenter said.

Thirteen farmers with a combined total of 987 acres applied in the first round of the preservation program.

Nine of the farms were chosen for appraisal, and the county is discussing whether to make offers on at least three, Carpenter reported.

Another three farmers with a total of 158 acres applied in the second round, which ended April 1. A fourth farmer, in Franconia, applied but is ineligible because his land is not in a security area, she said.

The county has $3.6 million for the program. If $10,000 an acre were offered, just 360 acres could be purchased.

Farmers may be looking for a much higher price, board members have said. At least one who has applied was offered $60,000 an acre by a developer, one board member has reported.